With Manchester City winning its appeal against a two-year ban on European competition in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, we now know how Premier League spaces can be filled. This is what it means.
Who will qualify for the Champions League?
Liverpool and City have already secured their places in the Champions League. Third and fourth will occupy the remaining places.
Champions League group stage: Liverpool, Man City, 3rd, 4th
Who qualifies for the Europa League?
Quinto will qualify for the Europa League group stage alongside the FA Cup winners.
Since Man City won the Carabao Cup and does not need the Europa League spot associated with it, that carries over to the Premier League, so the sixth will enter the competition in the second qualifying round.
Next season, this round will take place on September 17 as a one-legged tie.
Europa League group stage: Fifth, FA Cup winners
Second qualifying round of the Europa League: 6th
What if the FA Cup winners have already qualified for Europe?
Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Manchester United are in the semifinals. If the FA Cup winners finish in the top six in the Premier League, the place of the Europa League is transferred to the league. It seems that only Arsenal can finish out of the top six of those teams that are still in the competition.
If the FA Cup winners finish in the top six, this is what it means:
Europa League group stage: 5th, 6th
Second qualifying round of the Europa League: 7th
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Can England have eight teams in Europe?
Only if a team wins a European competition and finishes below sixth (or perhaps seventh if Arsenal wins the FA Cup).
It will not be possible to qualify for Europe for a place in the league below seventh.
What happens if Man City wins the Champions League?
It will have no effect on the Premier League or the number of teams in England that are in the Champions League. It simply means that teams from other leagues will go up one round to fill the gap.
If the UCL holder does not take the place in the group stage reserved for them, then this would be the same if, for example, Bayern Munich, Juventus or Chelsea, they won the competition and finished in the top four: the country’s champions ranked 11 on the UEFA coefficient go directly to the group stage. For next season, this will be the champion of the Netherlands, Ajax Amsterdam (they assume rank 1 even though the Dutch did not name champions).
The champions of the Czech Republic (Sparta Prague), Greece (Olympiakos), Israel (Maccabi Tel Aviv) and Cyprus (Omonia) also move to start in a subsequent qualifying round.
What happens if Chelsea win the Champions League?
Chelsea lost 3-0 at home to Bayern Munich in the first leg of the round of 16, making this seem unlikely. If they win the UCL and finish in the top four, England’s European access list does not change, but the Blues will be seeded in the group stage draw.
If Chelsea win the Champions League and finish fifth or sixth, the number of Premier League teams in the Europa League would drop to two. Chelsea would qualify for the Champions League, and the Europa League spot they won through the Premier League would be vacant.
So with Chelsea in fifth.
Champions League: Liverpool, Man City, 3rd, 4th, Chelsea (Champions League winners)
Europa League group stage: 5th (Chelsea won the Champions League), FA Cup Winners
Second qualifying round of the Europa League: 6th
What if Man United or Wolves win the Europa League?
If either team wins and finishes within the top four, it will not affect any access to the Premier League competition. But the place reserved for the Europa League starter in the group stage of the Champions League will go to Stade Rennes, who should have entered the third qualifying round. The runners-up from Turkey (TBC) and the Netherlands (AZ Alkmaar) would go up one round.
If Man United or Wolves win the Europa League and end up outside the top four, but in a Europa League spot, England will lose the Europa League spot the team won (as in Chelsea’s example above). So if Wolves won the Europa League and finished fifth, the direct place in the group stage would be abandoned.
For example:
Champions League: Liverpool, Man City, 3rd, 4th, Lobos (Europa League winners)
Europa League group stage: 5th (The wolves won the Europa League), FA Cup Winners
Second qualifying round of the Europa League: 6th
If Wolves were to win the Europa League and finish out of European spots, England would have five teams in the Champions League without affecting the Europa League allocation.
Champions League: Liverpool, Man City, 3rd, 4th, Lobos (Europa League winners)
Europa League group stage: Fifth, FA Cup winners
Second qualifying round of the Europa League: 6th
What happens if the English teams win both competitions?
As it seems unlikely that Chelsea will go further in the Champions League, this is unlikely.
If both European winners finish in the top four, the Premier League allocation is not affected.
If only one of the European winners ends up outside the top four, say Wolves, this would be access:
Champions League: Liverpool, Man City, 3rd, 4th, Lobos (Europa League winners)
Europa League group stage: 5th (The wolves won the Europa League), FA Cup Winners
Second qualifying round of the Europa League: 6th
If the two European winners finished outside the top four, then fourth place would lose their place in the Champions League.
For example:
Champions League: Liverpool, Man City, 3rd, Chelsea (Champions League winners) Lobos (Europa League winners)
Europa League group stage: Fourth 5th (Chelsea won the Champions League), FA Cup Winners
Second qualifying round of the Europa League: 6th (The wolves won the Europa League)
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